With the end of the year creeping up on us and HECO’s saturation rates delaying a lot of PV installations, Oahu residents have been put between a rock and a hard place. Many residents still want to lower their electrical costs by adding a PV system, but under the current circumstances, some are unable to do so in a timely or cost effective manner.

Please be very cautious of contractors implying that it is OK to forego any approvals from HECO and that Net Energy Metering agreements are not needed in order to have a PV installed. Some residents have been told that these will not cause issues, but actually residents could be affected down the road. For instance, HECO could ask them to disconnect their PV systems.

In most households, water heating is still the largest consumer of electricity. If you are currently using an electric water heater, chances are you could definitely reduce your electric bill by switching to a solar hot water system or a hybrid heat pump. These are both reasonable alternatives and should be considered if you are seeking to lower your electricity costs.

Energy Pro Hawaii is proud to be a Hawaii Energy-approved contractor, thus able to offer eligible customers an instant $1,000 rebate on their purchase when switching to solar hot water. Similarly in the case of PV, state and federal tax credits are available for solar hot water installations. These incentives make purchasing a solar hot water system extremely cost effective and beneficial to any homeowner.

If you currently reside in an over-saturated area, Energy Pro Hawaii highly recommends looking into the installation of a solar hot water system because solar hot water systems are unaffected by HECO’s saturation rates, and can be installed on practically any home without approval.

If you reside in an under-saturated area, however, Energy Pro Hawaii highly advises you to move quickly to get your PV installation done before the end of the year so that you are able to take advantage of the 2013 tax credits and also confirm your system with HECO before your neighbors decide to install their system ahead of you.

Energy Pro Hawaii is a part of W Contracting Inc., which includes Waialae Plumbing and Waialae Electric. It has been serving Oahu residents for nearly 20 years and employs its own licensed plumbers, electricians and installers.

To check your street’s circuit eligibility, call Energy Pro Hawaii at 596-2890 and find out what your current saturation rate is and what your options are. To schedule a PV or solar hot water estimate, visit www.energyprohawaii.com.